Business Excellence Award winners: Speedy Signs

We continue our profiles of 2012 Rotorua Business Excellence Award winners with Speedy Signs and EmbroidMe, winner of the Rotorua Lockwood Manufacturing and Trade Business Award

When Speedy Signs and EmbroidMe was announced as the winner of the Manufacturing and Trade Business Award at this month's ceremony, their table went berserk.

As owners Darren Burborough and Richard Haigh stood on the stagealong side five of their six staff, it was clear the 2012 Rotorua Business Excellence Award meant a lot to them.

"Everyone was pretty happy to win, the elation that came from some of our staff was quite cool,'' said Mr Haigh.

He said it was the first time they had entered the awards and making the final in two categories _ they were also finalists for the Rotorua Trust Social Responsibility Award _ had been "quite cool'' in itself.

Winning one was something else, according to Mr Burborough.

"We entered to win obviously but we didn't fully expect to, it was really a surprise. Look at the reaction.''

He said it had been a true team effort from the day the two "local boys'' decided over a beer to enter the awards and asked their staff for support.

"We said `we are going to enter the business awards, do you want to be involved?' and the resounding answer was yes.''

But up until 10am on the day before the crucial final presentation to the judges, they were still changing their mind on how and what to present.

In the end they went for a creative approach _ perhaps apt for a team that prides itself on working hard but also having a good time.

"There was music involved, some lip syncing _ you wouldn't want to hear us sing. We had a song that was appropriate to us,'' said Mr Burborough.

Most people would probably think we would wow the room with signage, but we didn't, we kept it simple in the end,'' said Mr Burborough.

Having built up a loyal client base since setting up Speedy Signs (part of a global franchise) in 2007, their customers were also keen to help out _ recording video testimonials and one appearing in person at the presentation.

"We want to thank all [our] customers for the support... without them we would never have got the award,'' said Mr Haigh.

Both agreed the  boost to morale  ended up being the biggest benefit to come out of the process.

But there were other business benefits as well. "After going five years or so and growing so much in that time ... it was great to get some outside feedback,'' said Mr Burborough.

Last year the pair added EmbroidMe to their Arawa St premises, the first in the world to put the two sister franchises under  one roof.

"It was a combination of things .. we saw an opportunity in Rotorua through other businesses that either weren't doing so well or were changing hands. We also had room here and a business in Auckland had closed down, so we were able to get the newest machines in town at a better price than we could have otherwise,'' said Mr Burborough.

The Rotorua born and raised men are community-focused, sponsoring local sports teams, community organisations and charities and helping behind the scenes with free signage.

They also provide thousands of lollipops a year to the children's ward at Rotorua Hospital.

"But for the grace of God our kids could be up there,'' said Mr Burborough. "What goes around comes around.''